Too fragile for the beast

Chapter 34

Arsh had already dropped Shafiyya at home and was now heading straight to his warehouse where his team, along with Aryan and Afzal, waited for him.

On the way, his phone buzzed. It was Ibrahim, the team head he had personally appointed to find Simon's location.

"We might have something," Ibrahim's voice came through, urgent and steady. "I'll explain everything when you get here."

Arsh's grip on the steering wheel tightened. His eyes narrowed, his mind already shifting into battle mode. Whatever this was, it could be the lead he'd been waiting for.

Without wasting another second, he pressed harder on the accelerator, the warehouse drawing closer with every beat of his pulse.

The warehouse doors slid open with a deep metallic groan as Arsh's car pulled in. The air inside was thick with tension, the dim light casting long shadows over the men gathered. Aryan leaned casually against a crate, but his eyes followed Arsh closely. Afzal stood nearby, arms crossed, his posture alert.

Ibrahim stepped forward, a tablet in hand. "We've tracked some unusual movements in Simon's circle," he began without pleasantries. "One of his known associates was spotted making multiple trips to an abandoned industrial site on the outskirts."

Arsh's jaw flexed. "How sure are you it's connected to him?"

"Eighty percent," Ibrahim replied, swiping to show grainy surveillance images of a tall, broad man entering the site at night. "We're still trying to confirm, but the timing matches the last time Simon was seen."

Arsh studied the screen in silence for a moment before handing it back. "I want a full perimeter on that site tonight. Nobody in or out without my knowledge."

Aryan straightened. "You think he's hiding there?"

"I think," Arsh said, his voice low and sharp, "that we're done playing hide and seek."

The men exchanged glances, understanding the unspoken order. Whatever was about to happen, it wouldn't end quietly.

Ibrahim stepped closer, lowering his voice slightly. "There's something else. More urgent."

Arsh's eyes narrowed. "Go on."

Simon's name alone made the warehouse feel colder.

"He's targeting your wife... Shafiyya," Ibrahim said firmly.

Arsh froze for a heartbeat, then demanded, "How are you so sure?" His voice was controlled, but the tension in his shoulders betrayed him.

Ibrahim pulled out a small folded note from his coat pocket and handed it to Arsh.

Arsh unfolded it, his eyes scanning the jagged handwriting. The words made his blood boil:

"The one you love will disappear anytime soon. Arsh Akthar."